Ganfaita Oni, the demon that had been posing as the big time rancher Philip Masterson, took flight upon his bat-like wings trying to put distance between himself and the Texas Ranger named Jake Specter. The demon gunslinger had been wounded by broken glass. Something about the composition of the windows affected him severely. He was unaware of any weaknesses. It must be all his time away from the Underworld that has made him susceptible to injury. Ganfaita feared that the longer he stayed the more he was venturing to become mortal.

“I should not dwell here any longer. I need to open a portal home.”

Even as he made his decision Jake came riding up on Ole Jeb and firing his revolvers. The bullets tore through the demon’s wings causing him to crash into a cactus. The prickly thorns drew blood and his leathery body was having trouble healing itself. It was as if the glass had negated all healing and now he could be wounded by anything. He would have to act fast not to be snuffed out of existence. Ganfaita Oni struggled to his feet and two ebony black revolvers materialized in his hands. At least he still had his powers.

“Hold it right there cowpoke. You’re coming with me” Jake told him this time leveling a rifle at the demon’s head.

Ganfaita Oni snarled “I think not Ranger. For it is you, a mere mortal, against me, a member of the Hellbrood. I have powers that you cannot possibly fathom.”

“Don’t try intimidating me you overgrown bat. I am a Texas Ranger and I ain’t scared of nothing.”

“Then take this as a simple warning” Ganfaita Oni replied “for I now curse thee till the end of time. In death you will find no peace. Your spirit will be earthbound forevermore. There is no rest for the righteous.”

Jake felt terror in that moment as an unseen wave of energy swept over him causing him to shiver in his boots. He tried not to let it faze him as he dodged a blast from the demon’s magical revolvers. But he couldn’t get his mind off of the curse. Could that SOB really do that to him? He hoped not but the conviction in Ganfaita’s eyes made it all too clear that the demon could. He rolled out of the way of another blast and fired his rifle. The bullet ripped through the demon’s leg causing him to stagger.

“You think this is over?” Ganfaita laughed harshly “you will die by my hand. You will die today.”

Jake smiled a hard smile and shouted “THEN WE BOTH DIE TODAY” as he ran forward throwing himself into the demon.

With his weight behind him he slammed into Ganfaita Oni like a brick wall and the two went tumbling across the ground. Jake had noticed the edge of a bluff not far behind where the demon was standing and hoped to roll both of them off of it. The demon noticed his plan at the last instant but could not stop the roll. The two plummeted over the edge and ricocheted off the cliff face. They bounced several times on the way down, each trying to come out on top once they hit bottom.

Ganfaita Oni’s claws ripped into Jake’s chest causing the Ranger to scream out in pain. The demon was trying to remove his heart but could not seem to get his claws deep enough. For his part, Jake Specter, was punching the demon trying to knock him unconscious so he’d be easier to handle. The two hit the ground hard with bone shattering force. A cloud of dust was thrown up covering the two for a few moments leaving it unclear as to which, if either, came out on top.

A figure emerged from the dust, physically weak, barely able to stand. As he came out into the open his green leathery skin and demonic features became apparent. Ganfaita Oni survived, though barely. He looked back and saw the lifeless form of Jake Specter smashed into the ground and smiled. He told the Ranger he would die today.

He felt a presence flow through his body and he dropped to his knees. The spirit of Jake Specter was leaving his body and trying to latch onto the demon. Ganfaita struggled with the unseen force willing it to leave him alone. This was not what he had intended with the curse at all. But Jake’s ghost continued to fight not wanting to give up a living body. The demon finally brushed it aside for the moment and tried to fly away from it.

Colt Andrews came across the gunslinger demon and pulled on the reigns of his horse, Winter, stopping the stallion short. He drew his revolver and fired at the fleeing demon wondering what had become of Jake Specter all the while. Ganfaita Oni flew upwards towards the Sun causing Colt to lose sight of him in the glare. Jake’s spirit tried to follow but the Sun’s beams seemed to repel him backwards, forcing him to go back to the earth.

The spirit collided with Colt Andrews knocking the living Ranger from his mount. Jake found himself trapped inside the other man’s body unable to break free. Colt could hear Jake’s thoughts racing through his own mind, merging with his own memories. Both wills struggled for control until they ended their duel in a stalemate. Both minds were present inside the body, neither in more control than the other.

“Guess we’ll need to make the best of it” Jake’s mind echoed inside his head.

Colt shook his head trying to make the voice stop “this is my body. No one invited you. I’m in charge.”

“But I have seniority” Jake protested “I am the Ranger in charge.”

“You are nothing more than stray ectoplasm” Colt corrected him “for all intents and purposes you are dead. Your experience might prove useful to me but it’s my body that will be in danger from now on.”

Jake thought about it and finally conceded “okay we’ll have to learn to work together. But I’ll only act in an advisory capacity.”

“Agreed” said Colt “now what?”

“We hunt down that dirty varmint that did this to me and we rid the world of him once and for all.”

Posted: 26 Jul 2012 00:05

Registered UserCurrently Offline

Posts: 2122
Join Date: Jun 2009

Nice story/backstory.

Kinda figured where this was heading after this:

Quote: “Then take this as a simple warning” Ganfaita Oni replied “for I now curse thee till the end of time. In death you will find no peace. Your spirit will be earthbound forevermore. There is no rest for the righteous.”

Posted: 26 Jul 2012 00:06

AdministratorCurrently Offline

Posts: 6572
Join Date: May 2005

Awesome western! Make a heck of a movie!

Quote: I am a Texas Ranger and I ain’t scared of nothing.”

I like that.

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 00:32

Registered UserCurrently Offline

Posts: 1954
Join Date: Jul 2008

Definately like the way you handled the lingo. And I always enjoy a good western.

Got to feel sorry for Colt though. That would suck to have somebody else's voice in your head all the time.

I certainly wasn't expecting to Brennon--er...Brent--to show up. Wonder how that was possible, could it he have been on a mission from Mysterion?

Posted: 28 Jul 2012 04:08

Registered UserCurrently Offline

Posts: 2949
Join Date: Jan 2008

Rick I think you were the only one who caught the Brennon reference.

Yeah I don't know how he got there or why he was posing as a Ranger but most likely Mysterion or some other supernatural force was responsible